


Saudade

by SunflowerAro



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst, Blizzards, Crying, Fluff, Gen, Grief, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Legend bottling his feelings? It's more likely than you think, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Self-Worth Issues, Storms, Violence, nose boops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26905522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunflowerAro/pseuds/SunflowerAro
Summary: Despite his reputation, Legend isn't heartless.(AKA five times Legend comforted the others, and the one time he was comforted)
Relationships: Four & Hyrule & Legend & Sky & Time & Twilight & Warriors & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 153





	Saudade

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Razzberrie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Razzberrie/gifts).



> Saudade: intense longing for someone or something that is absent.
> 
> I want to thank my lovely friend, cheesebun, for being my beta for this and for helping inspire lots of the fluff! Shatha ily <3

**1**

“Ambush!” 

Legend whipped around, his tempered sword already in hand. Dozens of monsters burst through the bushes—moblins, lizalfos, darknuts. They poured into the clearing, each armed to the teeth with blood-stained clubs and razor-sharp swords. 

Legend found himself facing a moblin, its lips pulled back into a snarl, yellowed tusks dripping with spit. It twirled a club in one hand, eyeing him and searching for any opening to use against him. Not that Legend would allow such a thing, not to a pathetic, lowly moblin. 

He had dealt with hundreds of the putrid things throughout his journeys, this one would be no different. 

The moblin struck first, as he expected. It swung its club in a wide arc, aiming for his ribs with what would be a brutal hit. Legend jumped back, dodging the blow with ease and retaliating by thrusting his sword through its arm, narrowly missing the thing’s heart when it stumbled backwards in an attempt to dodge. Black blood oozed out of the wound, thick like honey. It dribbled down to the ground, staining the vibrant green grass a rotten black.

The moblin snarled at him, jumping forward clumsily as rage overtook any common sense—as meagre as it was within the monster. Legend rolled his eyes, jumping to the left and swiping down its back, relishing in the roar it let out, in the blood that poured from the wound and stained the filthy rags it called clothing.

He whipped around to finish the job once and for all when a scream echoed through the clearing, startling out of his perfectly aimed slash.

Legend jumped away from a swipe aimed for his gut, turning towards the source of the noise worriedly—that had sounded young. _Too young_.

He hissed when burning hot pain danced up his arm like the kiss of fire, turning his attention back to the moblin before him, growling when he saw the grin on its disgusting face. Red stained the edges of its club, the sharp bones leaving weeping cuts in his forearm—how it hadn’t managed a better hit while he was distracted, he would never know. Maybe Hylia did have his back after all. 

He sneered at the moblin, flinching when another yelp resounded from his left. _Close_ to his left.

Legend turned instinctively, prepared to assist whoever needed it when lightning crashed into his skull. He had no time to yell as stars burst across his vision, fire exploding over the back of his skull and spreading. His eyes rolled back and darkness welcomed him within a second.

*

The pain greeted him first, just as it had been the last to see him off. A throbbing ache settled into the back of his skull as consciousness welcomed him back. His head _burned_ , enough for him to wince despite his experience with such wounds. He whimpered when the action made the flames worse, and darkness almost took him once more, dizziness dancing within his mind.

“Legend!”

He hissed at the sound, cracking open an eye a sliver, grimacing as the light pierced his skull and made the throbbing more pronounced. With a groan, he raised a hand to his forehead, freezing when his fingers met thick cotton. Bandages.

What had happened?

His hand was snatched away, taken in someone else’s and held tightly enough to distract him from the pain. Carefully, Legend opened his eyes, sighing when the light didn’t burn nearly as much as it had before. 

Hyrule sat in a chair beside him, his eyes shimmering with tears and Legend’s hand squeezed tightly between both of his own. His normally fluffy hair was a mess, and smudges of darkness lay under his eyes, as though he hadn’t slept in well over a day. And yet, he still brightened up when Legend caught his eye, relief filling his eyes in the form of more tears.

“Don’t touch that,” Hyrule chastised him, raising a hand to rub at his eyes.

“What happened?” Legend asked, glancing around the room curiously. A simple, wooden room, with red accents and curtains mostly covering a small window. 

“You took a bad hit,” Hyrule said, looking down as tears pricked at his eyes once more. “You’ve been out for days, and we weren’t sure if you would make it.” Hyrule sniffled, taking his hands back to press at his eyes in an attempt to push back the tears.

Legend’s breath hitched and he reached out hesitantly, pausing before his hand could meet Hyrule’s shoulder. 

“Hey. I’m okay, ‘Rule.” 

Hyrule’s head whipped up so quickly, Legend feared he would get whiplash. 

“But you weren’t okay! I thought you were gone forever!” Hyrule sniffled, taking in a deep breath before continuing. “All I could think about was how much I missed hearing your stupid snark. I _missed_ you.” He turned away when tears spilled over, his hair covering his eyes as his shoulders shook and weak sobs left his mouth. 

Legend’s stomach twisted, because he knew that feeling all too well—the feeling of losing someone. He had missed her fiery red hair and her warm smiles for _months_ —he still did, every now and then. The only difference was that he had never gotten to see her again. She was gone forever, despite how much he begged, how much he missed her.

But he wasn’t gone. 

“I’m okay, Hyrule,” Legend reassured him again, finally placing his hand over Hyrule’s shoulder. 

Hyrule moved forward, wrapping his arms around Legend’s middle tightly, sobbing into his chest. 

Legend was quick to return to embrace, concern churning his stomach as Hyrule shook in his arms. “I’m okay. I’m still here,” he promised. He rubbed Hyrule’s back soothingly, partly to reassure the kid, partly to ease the discomfort that had settled into his own chest.

Hyrule nodded, moving back to wipe at his eyes. “Here,” he said, plucking a potion from his belt and passing it to Legend with one hand, the other still futilely trying to stop the tears. “We didn’t want to risk you choking when you were unconscious.” Hyrule made a face, taking in a shuddering breath. “But, you can drink it now.” 

Legend nodded, taking slow sips from the bottle as Hyrule composed himself, wincing every time the kid’s breath hitched, or his shoulders shook. 

Hyrule took the potion once he was done, and Legend relished the lack of pain in his skull. The bandages would have to stay for a while, but his skull didn’t throb with every beat of his heart anymore, much to his relief.

“You should get more rest,” Hyrule spoke up, reaching out to pull the blankets back up to his chest. 

Legend rolled his eyes, but allowed Hyrule to smother him—anything to stop the poor kid from crying again. If it helped comfort him, Legend would allow it. He may not have had that luxury with her, but he’d be damned if he took that away from Hyrule.

“I—can I...?” Hyrule gestured to the bed, biting his lip worriedly.

Legend chuckled lightly, a faint smile on his lips.

“Sure,” he said with a shrug. “You look like you need to sleep.”

Hyrule brightened instantly, clambering into the bed beside him and latching onto his arm. He squeezed tightly, looking up with bright eyes. 

“I’m glad you’re okay, Legend.” 

Legend smiled, ruffling Hyrule’s hair. “Me too. Get some rest.” 

Hyrule nodded, his eyes slipping shut. His head slumped over Legend’s shoulder as he drifted off within moments. Legend chuckled, leaning his head over Hyrule’s fondly.

Flaming red hair and a pink hibiscus filled his vision as he shut his eyes, and he found himself wishing that she hadn’t been lost forever...

Why had he survived when she hadn’t been given that chance? 

**2**

Moonlight trickled across the wooden floor of the inn, the puddle elongating as the moon rose to meet the second-storey window. A cool breeze drifted in through the window from where Four had creaked it open hours beforehand, complaining about the room being _too stifling_. 

Whatever. The cool breeze certainly wasn’t unwelcome. It kept him company during the hours he had spent awake, brushing through his hair when he fell too far into his own mind, bringing him back to the present with its frigid grasp.

Tonight was a bad night, filled with a deep yearning. He had an inkling it had something to do with seeing Twilight interact with the people of his village, the people he called family.

Another brush of cool air against his cheek, another sigh leaving his lips. The chilled air couldn’t hope to wash away the phantom warmth of his Uncle’s arms around him, warmth he hadn’t felt in _years_ , despite how much he swore he could feel it now. It couldn’t alleviate the ghost-like sensation of his Uncle holding him tightly to his chest, rubbing his back soothingly to help ease the pain his first adventure had left him with.

He hadn’t seen his Uncle in so long, not since he had begun going on longer journeys, since he had become too busy to go back to his childhood home. 

Hylia, he missed him. An ache had settled within his chest, a desperate longing to see his father-figure again. It clawed always at his ribs, whispering its demands that he abandon this adventure, despite how much the others needed him, and run into his Uncle’s waiting arms. 

But he couldn’t. He could never be so selfish as to abandon the world over wanting to see his Uncle, of all things. No, he would have to wait. 

As much as his heart cracked at the thought of not seeing his Uncle for months, years, potentially—who knew how long this adventure would be. 

Legend jumped when a faint sniffle reached across the room, thoughts coming to a halt as confusion clouded his mind. Was that...?

Again, he heard it. Frowning, he sat up silently, squinting in the pale moonlight as the phantom warmth of his Uncle’s arms faded. Across the room from him, Four lay in his own bed, his back facing Legend and his form visibly shaking. His arms had curled around himself, and his knees had shifted close to his chest.

Shit.

Concern pooled in his gut, frigid as ice and leaving his insides frozen with the sensation. He slipped out of his bed, biting his lip when Four showed no sign he had heard the movement. Their Smithy could hear a mouse skitter by—how had he fallen so far into his mind that he had missed Legend pushing back his blankets and standing in a silent room?

He crept closer to the shaking ball, reaching out to place a hand over Four’s shoulder gently—he wasn’t heartless. How could he leave Four to suffer alone? 

His hand met Four’s shivering shoulder and within an instant the kid had flinched away, whipping around with wide, watery eyes. Legend winced at the sight—had expected tears, but Four’s face was _soaked_ in them, his cheeks shimmering under the pale glow of the moonlight and his eyes so red, legend wondered how he hadn’t noticed sooner. 

A choked sob tore its way from Four’s mouth and he lurched forward, latching onto Legend’s waist and burying his face in his chest. Legend froze as Four sobbed into his tunic, before he came back to himself and wrapped his arms around the poor kid, rubbing his back as his Uncle always used to do for him. 

He said nothing as Four shook in his arms, waiting patiently for him to settle down first. Thankfully, Four’s crying died down after only a few minutes with the comfort, and his shaking subsided to a light tremble. 

“Sorry,” Four murmured, his voice raspy. He looked down, hair hiding his face even as his red ears gave his embarrassment away. 

“It’s okay,” Legend said. It wasn’t as though he would be able to sleep, anyway. He’d rather comfort a hurting friend than be stuck in his own mind for another few hours. 

He led Four to sit on the side of the bed, pouring him a glass of water before wrapping an arm around his shoulders. The kid still looked miserable, and he needed the reassuring touches right now.

“I just.” Four sighed, running his free hand through his hair, before clasping his fingers together around the glass. “Do you ever feel lonely, even when you’re around other people?” 

Four didn’t look at him, for which Legend was grateful when his breath caught in his throat and his face fell. He hummed softly, unwilling to give away too much—this wasn’t about him, not when Four needed comfort. 

“I miss my brothers,” Four continued, oblivious to his inner turmoil. “I _shouldn’t_ , but I haven’t seen them in so long, and I—” his voice broke and he shook his head. Legend pursed his lips, taking the glass from Four’s shaky hands and placing it to the side before he spilled it. He drew Four closer into his side, smiling when Four turned to hug his middle once more, burying his face in his shoulder. 

“It’s okay to miss people,” Legend murmured, his heart twisting as he thought of his Uncle. “We’ll end up in your world soon enough and we can go find them, if you’d like.” 

Four chuckled, leaning back to wipe at his eyes before he rested his head over Legend’s chest. “I hope so. I’ve been wanting to introduce you all to them for a while.”

“Oh? What are they like?” Legend asked, eager to take Four’s mind off of his longing. 

Four hummed tiredly, leaning more heavily into him and letting out a yawn. “That’s a surprise… but it’ll feel like you already know them.” 

Legend blinked curiously. “What does that mean?”

Silence.

He looked down, rolling his eyes when he noticed Four had drifted off, exhaustion catching up to him as his inner turmoil settled down. Another day, then. 

Legend shot a glance at Four’s bed, before looking down at him once more. There was no way he could remove the kid from his side, not when he clung like an octorok. Sighing, he tucked one arm under Four, the other moving to his back to support him—he barely held back a snicker at the thought of how he felt as though he was carrying a toddler.

He stood, neglecting Four’s tear-ridden bed in favour of his own. Slowly, he made his way over to the other side of the room, shifting so Four sat more comfortably in his arms. The kid held on tighter, nuzzling into his shoulder subconsciously—Legend rolled his eyes fondly, reaching up to ruffle his hair lightly. 

Carefully, he sat down on his bed, shifting Four so he clung to his side and wrapping blankets around the both of them. He yawned, the warm weight enough to lull him to sleep.

Still, a part of him wished his Uncle was here, even if Four’s presence helped. 

**3**

Rain battered down on the cliff side, echoing through the cave he and Sky had found back when the clouds had been calm. Thunder rumbled outside, and flashes of pale lightning lit up the cavern every so often, contrasting with the warm glow of the fire that sat before them. 

Legend grimaced as the wind howled outside, sending the sheet he had set up over the entrance billowing upwards. With a groan, he stood on tired legs, grabbing at the heavy rocks with scraped hands and placing them down over the bottom of the sheet to keep it in place. 

Stalking back over to his bags, he dropped down none too gently, wincing when his back collided with the wall. Whatever, they’d be safe and dry for the night, now. 

Across from him, Sky sat with his knees pressed to his chest, arms crossed over them as he gazed into the fire vacantly. The man hadn’t spoken a word in the hour they had been in the cave. He had produced a forest’s worth of firewood from his bag, lit the fire, then settled down in front of it without a word. 

As much as Legend hated to admit it, the silence unnerved him. Sky wasn’t the most energetic of them, but it was rare he was ever silent for longer than five minutes—even when asleep, he snored louder than a moblin. 

Biting his lip, he grabbed a stray stick, poking at the fire to keep it alive before throwing the stick inside, hoping the embers that burst forth would be enough to pull _something_ from Sky. 

Silence, save the sound of the storm raging outside.

Huffing loudly, he kicked his legs out, exaggerating the movement to make as much sound as possible. Sky didn’t spare him a glance, too lost in his own head.

“Don’t think too hard,” Legend began, smirking when Sky finally looked up curiously. “Wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.” 

Sky blinked, before his eyes narrowed dangerously. A sliver of fear ran through Legend’s stomach, but it was easily ignored by the excitement at the prospect of getting a rise out of the quiet man. 

Anything to fill the stifling silence and the oppressive boom of thunder. 

“You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?” 

Legend choked, slapping a hand over his mouth as he coughed and sputtered. He hadn’t expected Sky to have a comeback, not when the man usually took his taunts with stride. 

Instead of basking in his victory, Sky only sighed, standing and moving closer to Legend. He slid down the wall, leaning into Legend’s side with another pitiful sigh. Legend hissed, moving to shove Sky off of him when the man spoke up.

“I miss them.”

Legend froze, his hands over Sky’s shoulder in preparation to push him away. Oh. So, that was why he had been abnormally silent.

“We’ll find them tomorrow,” Legend promised, releasing Sky’s shoulder and settling back against the rough, rocky wall of the cave. He rolled his eyes when Sky leaned further into his side, but didn’t move. 

Sky let out another sigh, one that shuddered with emotion. Legend’s heart twisted at the sound, but he waited patiently for Sky to speak.

“I know that. But it’s been over a day, and I.” He shook his head, his breath hitching. 

Legend pursed his lips worriedly, reaching out to wrap an arm around Sky’s shoulders. As much as he loved to taunt the man, leaving him to hurt alone was cruel.

His hero’s spirit wouldn’t allow it.

Sky sniffled, resting his head over Legend’s shoulder. “I already miss _her_ ,” he said, turning to bury his face in Legend’s tunic. 

Legend’s heart skipped a beat at Sky’s words, fiery red hair flashing across his vision for a moment before he locked it away once more. _Not now._

“And,” Sky continued, oblivious. “And now _they’re_ gone too, and I just—” A choked sob cut him off. Legend shushed him gently, tightening his hold around Sky—partially to soothe the ache that had settled in his own heart.

“We’ll find them tomorrow,” he promised, leaning his head over Sky’s and turning to watch the lightning flash through the gap above the sheet.

Sky nodded, settling down as his fatigue weighed him down, lulling him to sleep. “Thanks, Legend,” he whispered as he drifted off.

Legend nodded, clearing his throat of the thick emotion that had settled there. “Of course.”

And yet, he couldn’t help but wish he had been given the chance to return to his own love, too.

**4**

The fire popped and crackled before him, embers flying into the night sky as he tossed another log into the glowing depths. 

Nodding to himself, Legend shifted back, settling against the rock that had been dubbed the ‘watch rock.’ 

Taking in a deep breath—and shivering when the cool night air filled his lungs—Legend turned his gaze to the sky, watching the stars above glimmer brightly. He groaned when he noted he still had over an hour of watch left. 

His ears twitched when he heard shuffling nearby and he froze, eyes narrowing as he inspected the tree line surrounding them. He lowered his hand to where his sword lay beside him, preparing to jump up should a monster burst through the bushes—he had _just_ checked their perimeter, too. 

Warriors sat up with a groan and Legend sighed in relief, slumping back against the rock as he watched the man run his hands through his hair. His stomach twisted when he noticed the darkness smudged around Warriors’ eyes, at how dull their usual spark had become. Something was wrong...

“Princess can’t catch any beauty sleep?” he blurted, inwardly cursing himself when the snark fell from his lips naturally. 

Stupid! 

Warriors jumped, turning around to face him with a sheepish grin. “Ah, not really,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck and looking away.

Legend pursed his lips, patting the spot beside him. “Well, why not come join me, then? Two pairs of eyes are always better than one.” 

Warriors hummed his assent, slowly rising and grimacing as his knees cracked in protest. Legend rolled his eyes, muttering a comment of him being, “just as bad as the old man.” 

Warriors picked his way over, stumbling to catch himself before he stepped on Hyrule. He dropped down beside Legend roughly, a heavy sigh leaving him. 

Legend watched him for a moment before turning back to his watch, scanning the shadowed tree line thoroughly. He jumped when Warriors nudged him in the ribs. Scowling, he shot Warriors a glare only to clam up when he noticed the grimace upon the man’s face. 

“Legend, I—” Warriors’ words were cut off by a loud yawn, and he reached up to cover his mouth as his face burned red. 

Legend raised an eyebrow. “Jeez. Someone’s tired.” 

Warriors let out a shuddering sigh, turning to him with tears in his eyes. Legend reeled back, blinking in surprise. Warriors _never_ cried—at least, he had never seen the Captain cry.

“I’m exhausted,” Warriors admitted, looking down and scrubbing at his eyes. “I—you can’t tell anyone else this, alright?” 

Warriors looked up once more, eyes narrowed despite how they still sparkled with tears. 

Legend nodded, his heart twisting. Warriors was...trusting him with something?

Why _him_? 

Warriors sighed, leaning back against the rock to stare into the leaping flames, his arms moving up to curl around himself. 

“I can’t sleep,” Warriors said, his nails digging into his arms as he tightened his hold on himself, lowering his head in shame.

Legend pursed his lips, heart twisting at the sight of the ever-confident captain so small, opening his mouth to speak up when Warriors continued. 

“I can’t sleep without someone next to me,” he said, glaring down at the ground, eyes filled with fury; Legend’s heart skipped a beat when he realised it was only at himself. “My family…we would always sleep together. With my parents, first, then my sister when we grew older—we’ve always been close...” Warriors paused to smile fondly at the stars, before he continued. Legend found himself grateful for the small blessing, as his heart twisted in his chest.

_He_ had been that close to his Uncle, back when he had still been living with the man. Since then, he had grown out of needing to sleep in his Uncle’s bed for comfort, but Warriors’ words…

What he wouldn’t give to go back to that time, or to see his Uncle again, and stop adventuring.

“When I joined the army, there wasn’t enough room to sleep alone, and I considered my men brothers. I’ve always slept beside someone and now…” he trailed off, looking up to their still-sleeping companions longingly.

“I was fine before, because Wind always slept close, and you know how clingy he gets in his sleep.” Warriors let out a humourless chuckle. 

“But Wind’s been sleeping with Sky lately—I guess he’s a lot cuddlier.” 

Legend frowned, leaning closer to inspect the darkness smudged under Warriors’ eyes, deep and as black as a terrible storm. 

“When was the last time you slept?” 

Warriors turned away, his lips thin. “A few days ago, I think.” 

Legend hissed in sympathy, prepared to scold Warriors for not telling someone sooner. Surely, Wind would have helped?

“I don’t know what to do anymore!” Warriors choked out, reaching up to swipe at his eyes. “I’m so tired I can barely think, but I can’t ask Wind to come back—I can’t guilt him like that and I...” he shook his head, letting out a shuddering breath. 

Legend inhaled sharply when Warriors curled in upon himself, reaching out worriedly before he hesitated, hand hovering over Warriors’ shoulder. 

“I—” he cleared his throat, shaking his head to clear it of the emotion clouding his mind. 

“You should’ve said something sooner, idiot. I’ll help, if it’ll stop you from dying on the battlefield.” 

Warriors brightened so quickly, Legend almost flinched at the sudden change. He turned back, eyes shimmering with relief. 

“You’ll help? Really?” 

Legend almost snorted at how childlike the Captain seemed, crossing his arms and nodding. He looked away before Warriors could see the heat rising to his cheeks. 

“Sure, just tell me what you need,” he said with a shrug. The sooner Warriors went to sleep, the sooner he could return to watch. 

Warriors let out a relieved sigh, murmuring his thanks as he shifted. 

Legend jumped when Warriors’ head fell into his lap, soft snoring filling the air almost instantly. He made a face, moving to shove the man away when he saw the peace that had settled upon Warriors’ face. 

Scowling, he shifted so he was more comfortable, one hand resting over his sword, the other reaching up to smooth Warriors’ hair back. A smile pulled at his lips when Warriors leaned into the touch subconsciously—he hadn’t been kidding when he said touch helped, then. He pushed Warriors’ hair out of his face, turning his gaze back to the tree line as he absentmindedly ran his fingers through Warriors’ hair. 

Looking up at the sky, he winced when he took in the time. He couldn’t wake Warriors for his shift, not when the man so clearly needed rest...

It wouldn’t be this first time he had lost sleep, anyway. Besides, he could wake Four with a rock later.

**5**

Legend scowled at the sky, the endless expands of blue doing nothing for the heat seeping into his skin. Not a single cloud crawled across the stretch of space, which meant there was nothing blocking the scorching sun from burning him alive. 

He wasn’t the only one who shared this sentiment, if the huffs and glares at the blazing sun above them were any indicator—though his hatred showed the most, what with his grumbling and crossed arms. Each of them had a steady sunburn growing on the tips of their ears and the backs of their necks, and Legend dreaded checking his own in his mirror shield later that night, certain his ears would be as pink as the streak in his hair.

“Is your slate working yet, Cub?” Twilight asked, his eyes pleading as he drifted closer to Wild.

Wild pursed his lips, removing the device from his hip once more—the sixth time this _hour_.

They halted as Wild inspected his slate, Legend’s gaze drifting to the far-off woods, the shade of the trees calling to him alluringly. If only he could sit under them and bask in even a second away from the sun’s torment. 

“We’re back!” Wild called, waving his slate in the air excitedly. 

Legend sighed in relief, moving over to peer at the device from over Wild’s shoulder, a smile tugging at his lips as the static that had been teasing them for the past few hours was erased with a clear map. 

“Finally,” he said, schooling his expression into an indifferent one when Wild turned back to him with a bright smile. 

“Where do we want to go?” 

“Anywhere but here?” Legend offered. 

Wild rolled his eyes, lowering his slate when Wind moved closer to peer over at the map.

“Oh, what’s over here?” Wind asked, jabbing his finger at the map. 

Wild pulled it away quickly, shaking his head. “Careful,” he said, swiping with two fingers. “If you touch the map you might teleport us somewhere.” He hummed, pursing his lips. “Everyone move closer, we need to pick a place and teleporting only half the group again would be a nightmare.” 

Legend snickered, but placed a hand over Wild’s shoulder nevertheless—being left behind in a swamp while half of the group wound up in the castle had _not_ been an enjoyable experience for anyone. 

The group leaned in closer, grabbing onto one another as Wild picked out a place for them to teleport—Legend only hoped it would be cooler than the damned desert they stood in. 

“How about—” Warriors leaned closer, bumping into Wild. 

“Watch—shit!” Wild’s eyes widened as he pressed the screen, his arm jerked forward as Warriors bumped into him. 

“Hold on!” Wild shouted, reaching back to grasp at Legend’s tunic. 

Legend shuddered as the uncomfortable sensation of teleportation washed over his body, a tingling numbness that reached out from his chest, spreading out to his toes and fingers until he went weightless. He looked down, watching with intrigue as every inch of his body evaporated into the strange, blue light that was abundant within Wild’s world, starting from his feet and rising up as he was picked apart before everything went dark upon it reaching his face.

The device slammed them down onto their new location, his body shoved together abruptly and leaving him shivering and flushed at the same time. Searing light burned across his vision and his legs buckled in an attempt to support the body they hadn’t been a part of only seconds ago. 

Cold. Burning, biting cold enveloped him on all sides as feeling trickled back into his body. 

Legend yelped, wrapping his arms around himself in a vain attempt to block the icy breeze that tore at his skin. 

“Where the fuck are we?” he hissed into the frigid air, staggering back when another blast crashed into him, nearly knocking him off of his feet.

A groan from close by, then a warm hand over his shoulder, steadying him in the forceful winds. 

“We’re in the Hebra mountains. I accidentally hit the map when _someone_ bumped into me. Hold on,” Wild said, shifting closer to him. 

Legend sighed as warmth washed over his neck, red rubies glinting in Wild’s hair—magic infused rubies. It wasn’t perfect, but it helped soothe the chills that wracked his frame slightly. 

“Oh shit!” Legend frowned, peering closer to the slate held within Wild’s hands. He cursed when he noticed the static that covered the screen once more—sure, he had wanted somewhere cooler, but he hadn’t wanted somewhere _freezing_.

“The blizzard is blocking us from travelling anywhere.” Wild huffed, turning to Warriors with a dirty look. “Did you have to press _this_ location? Not even a shrine?”

Warriors scowled. “Don’t blame me. Why did you set _this_ spot as a destination?” he demanded, crossing his arms petulantly. 

Wild’s face turned red—redder than it already was, between the sunburn and the frigid air—and he looked down, kicking at the carpet of snow beneath them. 

“I used it when I was stuck trying to open—wait! I know where we can stay, it’s just over here.” 

Wild hooked his slate to his hip, racing off before Legend could so much as blink, his form almost completely swallowed by the blizzard in an instant.

The rest of the group jumped into action, moving as quickly as they could in an attempt to follow Wild before they lost him.

“Can you slow down?” Legend grumbled, tearing his foot out from where it had sunk into the snow. 

“Nope!” Wild called out from where he was bounding ahead, turning around to flash him a teasing grin when his foot caught on a rock and he went down. Legend snickered when Wild disappeared underneath the carpet with a yelp. 

Twilight groaned, reaching down and ripping Wild from the snow’s hold, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. 

Wild grinned brightly at him before gesturing to where the ground dropped abruptly, before easing out into a slope. Stepping closer to the ledge, Wild turned back to the group with a vague wave to the bottom of the slope. “It’s just down here! There’s a massive cave behind those two doors.” Legend squinted, barely able to make out the carved ice through the falling snow.

“We can get out of this blizzard and warm up there,” Wild finished, before throwing himself over the edge, latching onto the face of the cliff with ease.

Legend found himself nodding silently, the prospect of warmth washing over his icy skin enough to keep away a sarcastic remark. He watched Wild intently, committing to memory where the Champion stepped as he made his way down the cliff-face.

He crept closer to the edge as each of them clambered down, wincing when the snow bit into their fingers.

Legend hummed to himself, shifting closer to the ledge to follow the path they had worn into the side. He made sure to kick a pile of snow over the edge, directly into Warriors’ head, as he did so, snickering to himself when the man yelped. 

As Legend’s feet hit the ground—and sank deeply, much to his chagrin—Wild began to lead them further down, withdrawing his cloak to protect his face from the raging snowfall as the blizzard began to worsen. 

“It’s right here, come on!”

“I can’t see anything!” Sky called out from somewhere to his left—Legend couldn’t see much past the blinding white that had coated his vision in a matter of seconds. 

A hand latched onto his and he flinched, attempting to rip it back as fear squeezed at his chest. _Anything_ could attack them in this.

Hyrule’s gentle smile filled his vision and he sighed in relief, squeezing his hand tightly and following behind the traveller as Wild led them closer to the cave.

The icy bite of the snow died down to a dull ache as they stepped through the wide entrance of the cavern, and Legend almost fell to the floor with relief. Some of the others didn’t bother to restrain themselves—they did yelp when they hit the ice-cold stone, however. 

“Finally,” he groaned, closing his eyes and rubbing at them as though it would stop the burn from the cold that tore through them. 

Hylia, he hated snow. 

Warmth burst forth in the cavern, followed by a round of relieved sighs, his own included. Legend opened his eyes, seeking out the blazing fire that could ease the shivers that wracked his frame. 

His heart jumped into his throat when he noticed the skeleton towering before them, staring down at them and looking all too familiar. Nausea twisted in his gut as his eyes trailed over the stubby wings of the thing that had haunted his dreams for _months_ after Koholint—and still did, occasionally. 

“Holy Hylia, Wild. What _is_ that thing?” Warriors called out, his voice echoing through the cavern, rattling the icy stalactites above them. 

Wild shot him a look, to which Warriors grimaced apologetically, lowering his voice significantly as he continued, “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Wild shrugged. “It’s the Great Hebra Skeleton. I don’t know much else of it—there weren’t any Koroks on it, weirdly enough,” he added thoughtfully, placing a hand over his chin. 

“It looks...familiar,” Sky murmured, before shaking his head. 

Legend winced, shooting Sky a glance, grateful when the man’s eyes remained locked on the skeleton—Sky hadn’t...?

No, Sky’s face showed no signs of grief, his brow only furrowing curiously. 

So, he was alone once more. 

Of course. Hylia would only burden him with this; she would never give him someone who could relate—not that he would wish that fate upon anyone, much less another one of the heroes. No, it would be his burden to carry. 

Legend shook his head, ripping himself away from the memories that threatened to spill over in his mind. He forced his attention to the fire Wild had set up away from the entrance, protected from the wind by one of the heavy doors. 

Pushing away the faint remnants of her voice that echoed in his head, Legend stalked over to the fire and sat down, crossing his arms and glaring into flames as fiery as her hair, dancing merrily like her dress would in the wind. 

A bowl appeared in front of his face, tearing him away from the flames. He followed the arms holding it to see Wild crouched beside him, a warm smile and crinkled eyes doing nothing for his mood.

“Soup?” he asked, nodding to the bowl in his hands. 

Legend’s stomach twisted at the mere thought of eating, despite how pleasant the warmth of the soup would be, and he shook his head. 

“No, thanks,” he said curtly, turning his attention back to the flames. 

Wild pursed his lips, but let him be, retreating back to the other side of the fire to where the rest of the group sat, heartily sharing the meal. 

All except...

Legend shrugged, dismissing the thought before concern could work its way into his heart—Wind had probably gone to inspect the skeleton. It wasn’t his problem.

He shuddered as another gust of cold air crashed over him, as though reaching through the open entrance to ail him specifically. Not that such a thing would surprise him in the least, not when the world seemed to hate him so. Reaching down into his pack, he drew out his fire rod—his spare one, since Warriors hadn’t returned his original—and pulled it close to his chest, sighing in relief as its warm magic washed over him in ways the fire couldn’t. It wrapped around his shivering form in a warm embrace, blocking out the biting chill with its protective bubble. 

His eyes slipped shut of their own volition as his chest ached, the deep longing for her returning with vigour—hadn’t he shoved those feelings down deeply enough?

Stupid Windfish. Stupid island. Stupid...

He shook his head, clutching onto the fire rod tighter as his hands began to shake. 

Legend flinched when something solid and frigid pressed into his side, eyes snapping open and falling upon—

Wind. 

“What are you doing?” He growled, moving to shift away from the damn kid when Wind turned his gaze to him—when Legend saw the tears shimmering in his eyes. 

“I’m cold...” Wind murmured, shifting closer to him and turning his gaze back to the floor. 

Legend blinked, a frown pulling his lips down with concern, rather than the usual distaste that weighed him down. 

“Wouldn’t you rather go eat with the others?” he asked, wondering if he should risk moving away—he wasn’t heartless, but surely, Wind would rather snuggle up in Warriors’ side?

“I’m not hungry, I...” Wind looked up to the Great Skeleton, his shivering broken by a shudder. He shook his head. “I’m not hungry.”

Legend’s stomach twisted: he knew that look. It was the same look that had been upon his face before he smoothed out his expression only ten minutes ago. 

Had Wind...?

Legend huffed loudly, passing Wind the fire rod to hold and waving off the kid’s curious expression. He turned back to grab a blanket from his pack, throwing it over their shoulders and drawing Wind closer to his side, an arm wrapped around his shoulders comfortingly. 

“Your lips are turning blue,” he said with a shrug when Wind made a curious noise. 

Wind smiled, holding the fire rod between the two of them, its warmth seeping into their bones. His eyes slipped shut as his trembling began to cease, slowly but surely, and he rested his head over Legend’s shoulder. 

A faint smile tugged at Legend’s lips and he couldn’t help but squeeze Wind’s shoulder as the kid drifted off in his arms. Legend turned his gaze towards the Great Skeleton once more. A shiver ran up his spine as his eyes raked down the bones forming two wings atop the creature’s back— _familiar_ wings. He shuddered, drawing Wind closer as he ripped his gaze away from the damn thing—if the warm weight upon his chest helped, he wouldn’t speak of it. Squeezing his eyes shut against the flashes of lightning assaulting his vision, _that_ night returning to the forefront of his mind, he prayed for the blizzard to end soon.

**+1**

The sun shone down on the land in a cloudless sky, not even a faint wisp of white taunting the expanse of blue about them. Insects hummed, filling the air with a pleasant melody which the birds sang along to, their lilting sounds dancing between the trees. Flowers perfumed the air, captured by a gentle, warm breeze that ruffled through their hair and pressed against their skin sweetly. The forest around them provided just enough shade from the sun as they drifted through it, dappling the ground with its warm rays. Specks of pollen floated by lethargically, catching the sun’s light every so often and becoming encased in a gold reminiscent of the sparkle of magic. 

And yet, Legend’s mood had plummeted significantly despite the soothing atmosphere that surrounded them, despite how amicable the rest of the group seemed in its wake. 

A part of him wished the sky would split open and rain its misery down upon them if only for the world to feel how he did. 

Of course, this mood was his own fault: he had chosen to wake up rather than stay with her, had abandoned that island and left its people for dead. He had been selfish enough to betray the people he had come to call family; he had no one but himself to blame for his misery. 

His chest ached at the reminder and he subconsciously crossed his arms, squeezing tightly as though to press back against the ache. Subtly, of course. The others could never know about Koholint; he didn’t deserve their comfort anyway, not when it was his fault. 

And yet, every flash of red left him doing a double-take, breath hitching in his throat as he saw her in every flower, in every piece of crimson fabric—he hadn’t looked at Four in hours. 

“Hey, Vet!” 

Legend flinched as he was torn back to the present, turning his bitter gaze to where Wild now walked alongside him. The Champion’s face broke out into a grin when he caught Legend’s attention and he pointed towards the mushrooms glowing bright blue in the shade along the edges of the trail. 

“Did I ever tell you about the silent shrooms?” Wild asked, racing forward to scoop one up before falling back into stride with him. 

Legend blinked, his arms lowering from his chest as confusion buzzed in his mind. 

“No?” he said dumbly, leaning closer to inspect the mushroom. 

Wild beamed. “Well, let me tell you now!” 

Legend found himself nodding along, almost grateful for the distraction Wild provided. Almost, because nothing could beat being alone to marinate in his misery as he so rightly deserved. 

“Oh! Let me listen too!” Another voice piped up. Legend turned, cringing when he saw redred _red_. 

Four smiled at him, taking his other side and leaning close to inspect the mushroom Wild had placed into his hands. 

“How is it bioluminescent, I wonder?” Four murmured, reaching out to poke at its squishy, blue cap. 

Legend shrugged, forcing his expression into a neutral one when his mouth began to twist at the sight of red. He needed to keep his gaze away from Four, then he would be fine. 

A part of him wished they would talk without him, would leave him be with his misery.

*

“Oh, Vet!” 

Legend closed his eyes, holding back a groan when Warriors raced over to him. Surely, he could enjoy his break alone?

Sky had already dropped by earlier to offer him some sort of yellow, glowing berry the size of his palm to “restore his energy.” Whatever that meant. 

He had taken to tossing the fruit between his hands absentmindedly until Warriors had called out to him. 

The man stopped before him, Wind at his side and a stupid grin on his face. 

He dropped down by Legend’s side, placing a hand over his shoulder and squeezing almost too tightly. Legend shivered at the touch too reminiscent of his Uncle’s; the man rarely spoke in hugs, rather affirming pats on the back and shoulder squeezes. Of course, he would throw aside his pride when Legend needed to be held, back when he was only a child. 

Oh, how Legend wished he could return to such simple days, when his Uncle would bundle him up in his arms and rest his chin over his head until everything felt alright again. He had never appreciated the gesture enough as a child. 

Wind sat in front of Warriors, snatching up one of Legend’s hands in both of his own. The kid practically shook with excitement, ignoring the scowl he received from Legend in favour of watching Warriors with wide, awe-filled eyes. 

“Are you ready for the tale of how I took down an entire fleet with only a ball and chain?” Warriors asked, lips peeling back into a toothy grin when Wind nodded enthusiastically, squeezing Legend’s hand subconsciously. 

Legend rolled his eyes, tossing the fruit in his free hand before taking a bite. 

He barely held back a whimper as the sweetness burst upon his tongue, the taste of his Uncle’s cookies dancing upon his taste buds rather than the sour fruit he had expected. 

Legend’s eyes found their way to Sky’s of their own volition and he found he had to look away from Sky’s knowing smile quickly, taking another small bite as Warriors continued his tale of mowing down a field of monsters, his hand not once leaving Legend’s shoulder. 

*

Legend slumped in relief once Time announced they would be stopping for the night well before the sun had sunk below the horizon. He took up the rear of the group as Time hustled them into a clearing, eye roaming their surroundings for any potential ambush points. 

Legend jolted when a hand landed on his shoulder, ripping him from the sleepy haze that had descended upon him. He looked up, stomach twisting uncomfortably when he saw the concern sparkling in Time’s eye. 

Concern he didn’t deserve. 

Time shot a glance back at the rest of the group, before clearing his throat and saying, “you know, we’re always here to talk if you need it.” 

Legend nodded jerkily, barely resisting the urge to tear himself away—that would be too obvious, after all. Their hero’s nature refused to let a person suffer, even if it was so rightly deserved. 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said shortly, wishing Time would let him go, let _it_ go.

Time nodded once, stepping back. “Alright. If you need to talk, anytime, I’m here.” 

Legend hummed, forcing the words from his mouth even when they tasted like ash and gravel. “I’m fine, thanks.” 

Time’s eye followed him as he hurried away despite his words. Legend couldn’t help but tense under his gaze, hands shaking as he set up his space for the night. He cursed when he almost dropped his rings, catching the box before it could clatter to the ground and spill everywhere. Taking in a deep breath, he slowed his jerky movements, taking his time to spread out his bedroll and smooth the edges until it was perfect. 

Leaning back on his knees, he nodded to himself with a faint smile despite his shaky hands and twisting gut. He was fine. A little sleep and he could ignore this once more. 

If only he would stop seeing those he missed in everything. In every flash of red, and every touch from the others.

Legend yelped when something cold and wet pressed into his thigh, jumping away from the sensation and whipping around. 

He sighed in relief when he saw it was only Wolfie, lying on the ground where he had been seconds ago and looking up at him with concern sparkling in his eyes.

Another one of them, seriously? He was fine, couldn’t they see that?

“What do you want?” he asked shortly, turning back to unpack his kit for dinner before he thought better of it—with the guilt churning his insides, he couldn’t hope to eat anything.

Not that he deserved it, anyway. 

Wolfie let out a whine, shuffling closer with pitiful eyes. 

“Seriously?” Legend asked, raising an eyebrow. What was with the group and being clingy today? If Twilight really thought he was going to pet him...

Wolfie nudged his hand, looking up at him with wide eyes. Letting out a heavy sigh, Legend relented, reaching up to rub behind Wolfie’s ears. His shoulders relaxed slightly when Wolfie’s eyes slipped shut and he nuzzled further into his hand. 

“I never thought you’d be so clingy, farm boy.” Legend snickered, settling back against his bag with a hum. 

Wolfie let out a huff, moving forward to rest his head in Legend’s lap. 

Legend shot him a deadpan look, but Wolfie didn’t move away, looking up with those pathetic eyes once more. 

“Fine, fine.” Legend relented, gently stroking Wolfie’s forehead with one hand, the other resting over his fuzzy back and settling into the fur. 

As much as he wanted to be alone, he couldn’t deny that the warm weight of Wolfie over his thighs helped keep the demons at bay. Mostly.

“Dinner!” Wild called out, tearing him from the pleasant haze that had descended upon him and back into his miserable, nausea-ridden body. 

Wolfie jumped up, racing over to the pot to sit beside Wild in anticipation. Legend’s gut twisted, and he barely held back a yell for Wolfie to not leave him like _they_ had, reaching out before he could stop himself. 

His heart caught in his throat, his stomach twisting so tightly he feared he would be sick. He snatched his hand back, pressing it to his chest as though it had been scalded. Eyes burning, he looked away, drawing a knee to his chest and biting his cheek to hold back the tears. 

What was _wrong_ with him? Why was he so upset over things that happened _years_ ago? He should be over this by now, but he was just so...

Weak. 

“Hey, Vet! Dinner’s ready!” Wild smiled brightly at him, eyes crinkling as he nodded to the pot before him. 

Legend grimaced, shaking his head. 

“You’re not hungry?” Wild asked, his smile fading. 

Legend cursed himself for crushing Wild’s spirits, for bringing the group down with him. He forced a smile onto his lips, waving off Wild with another shake of his head; if he spoke now, he feared his voice would break. He feared _he_ would break. 

Wild pursed his lips, nodding slowly and turning away to serve the rest of the group. Legend sighed, slumping over his knee and closing his eyes against the rush of emotions. He squeezed his knee tightly and took in a shuddering breath, then he waited. Waited for these stupid, overwhelming feelings to die back down to the dull ache they had become over the years, waited for them to stop clawing at his ribs and weighing his shoulders down; waited to feel alright again. He pressed his eyes shut against a sudden rush of _longing_ , so deep he could feel the ache drilling into his bones, crushing its heart with his fist and stealing the air from his lungs.

Legend yelped when arms wrapped around him from behind, drawing him close to a warm chest and squeezing tightly. He squirmed, twisting back to shout at whoever had decided to latch onto him—if Twilight had shifted to be cuddly in human, he would punch him—when the words died on his tongue.

Hyrule. 

The traveller smiled down at him with fond eyes, squeezing him once more. 

“I—What are you doing?” Legend sputtered, twisting slightly in an attempt to free himself but to no avail—Hyrule’s power bracelet glinted in the light of the fire and he scowled. He crossed his arms, his side now trapped against Hyrule’s chest. 

Hyrule snickered, his chest rumbling against Legend’s ear. “Stop looking so pissed, Legend. It’s not a good look on you, here.” 

Legend frowned, looking up curiously to see what Hyrule meant. He reeled back when the traveller tapped his nose with a cheerful, “boop!”

His face burned hotter than the fire and he let out a squeak when Hyrule chuckled. He groaned, leaning forward to hide his burning face in Hyrule’s neck when the man continued to laugh. Hyrule pulled him closer to his chest, patting him on the back gently. 

“See! That’s better!” 

Legend huffed, but made no move to pull away from Hyrule’s embrace. He couldn’t deny that the sensation of warm arms around him chased the demons away, that they made him feel safe like his Uncle had. 

“Aw, your face is all red,” Hyrule teased, leaning back to inspect him. 

Legend’s face felt as though he had dipped it into Death Mountain’s magma, the heat spreading to the tips of his ears. 

“Shut up,” he muttered, looking down at the grass to avoid Hyrule’s eyes. 

Hyrule hummed, shaking his head. “Nope! It’s cute.” 

Legend grumbled, leaning back against Hyrule’s chest to hide the faint smile that tugged at his lips as warmth spread through the numbness that had ailed him only minutes ago. 

“There we go, that’s much better. You’ve been down all day,” Hyrule said, lowering his voice so as not to alert the others. 

Legend stiffened—surely, he hadn’t been that obvious? 

“You can talk to me, Legend. I know it’s not easy, but I hate seeing you down like that.” 

Legend’s eyes burned once more and he was grateful Hyrule couldn’t see his face. 

“I just...” Hylia, he couldn’t make an excuse now, not when Hyrule clearly knew something was wrong.

Was that why the others kept pestering him today? Were they trying to...cheer him up? 

His throat closed up at the thought and he coughed, trying to clear the lump to no avail. 

“Bad day,” he admitted, turning his gaze to the grass as tears blurred the golden strands together. 

Hyrule hummed worriedly, setting about rubbing his back slowly. 

“I just—I miss them,” Legend choked out lowering his head as the tears burned down his face. 

Hyrule gasped, pulling him impossibly closer and resting his chin over Legend’s head, hiding him away from the world. 

“I haven’t seen my Uncle in years, I miss him so much, I—” He shook his head, taking in a shuddering breath. 

“And I miss _her_...” he murmured, tears building up all over again, painting patterns of sorrow across his cheeks. 

Hyrule sighed, resting his cheek over Legend’s hair. “That’s okay. You’re allowed to miss people, Legend.”

Legend nodded, sniffling when the tears refused to stop. And yet, warmth spread through his chest at Hyrule’s words and he found himself shifting even closer subconsciously. 

Hyrule smiled, leaning back to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. He reached up to wipe away the tears still running down Legend’s face with his thumb, fondness shining in his eyes. 

“I want you to remember you can talk to one of us anytime you need to, okay? You shouldn’t feel like you have to bear this burden alone; family will _always_ share the weight with you.” 

Legend’s breath hitched and he stared at Hyrule with wide eyes. “I—”

“You do the same for us, Vet!” 

Legend flinched, turning to see the rest of the group had surrounded them. Wolfie curled up beside him and Hyrule, watching him with those same shining, wide eyes. 

“You don’t need to tell us the details,” Warriors continued, kneeling to place a hand over his shoulder. “We just want to support you when you need it, okay?” 

Legend blinked, tears filling his eyes once more. He nodded, a smile pulling at his lips. 

“He’s smiling again!” Wind cheered, turning to high-five Four. 

Legend snorted, reaching up to wipe away at the remaining tears upon his cheeks. He looked down shyly as he murmured, “Thanks, guys.” 

They all beamed at him, their brightness banishing the darkness that had wormed its way into his soul. 

“Anytime. We’re family now, after all.” 

Legend smiled. “Yeah, we are.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday, Razz!!!! I hope you enjoy this and I'm sending lots of love your way <3


End file.
